Every December retirees from the New England and Midwestern states begin their annual winter trip to Florida, where they will stay until the spring. Florida auto transporters call them “snowbirds”, people who are escaping the colder states for the more hospitable, tropical breeze blowing in from the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.

The snowbirds want their own car in Florida for the 3 to 6 months they typically stay. Some people drive their car to Florida, but many prefer to hire an auto transport company to arrange shipping their car. Is it cheaper to ship a car or drive it? The answer is that it usually is less expensive to drive it … unless one thing goes wrong. That could be a blown tire, transmission, fuel pump or so many other things. Even if nothing goes wrong, the extra miles on the car is a consideration. A round trip from Chicago to Miami is nearly 3,000 miles. There is also wear and tear on the driver and passenger, and that takes a different toll on every person. For tens of thousands of people, the decision to ship a car to Florida rather than drive it is the best option.

So how do Snowbirds go about shipping their vehicle in the smartest way? Here are 5 great tips that will make the process less stressful:

1. When Should A Snowbird Make The Car Available To Ship?

Answer: Let’s say you personally arrive in Florida on the 10th of the month, and a car shipper can deliver your vehicle (once picked up) in three days. Let us also suppose that there is nobody else in Florida who can receive your vehicle and pay the driver. Therefore, you should not make your vehicle available before the 7th of the month, because you do not want your car to beat you there.

2. When Should A Snowbird Actually Book Their Auto Transport?

Answer: Do not book your vehicle shipment until about a few days before your vehicle is available to ship. Three days ahead is about right. Please know that it does not matter to the carriers when you book your shipment. There are no space reservations, so booking early does nothing for you and might actually hurt your chances of a timely shipment. You are competing with thousands of other snowbirds for limited space, so you want the most current car shipping rates and not something old and stale. The auto shipping rates typically creep up through December and reach their zenith the first week of January. The highest priced loads (cars) typically move first. For the most current auto shipping rates, please use our first of a kind car shipping quote calculator located on this page.

3. What If The Snowbird Leaves Home Before The Car? What Then?

Answer: It is almost impossible to not be inconvenienced at either end of a vehicle shipment when somebody is shipping a car to himself. Usually at the origination, there are family, friends and neighbors who would be kind enough to spend 30 minutes to meet a driver for you. No money changes hands at that meeting, just vehicle inspection, signing the Bill of Lading authorizing the shipment, and handing over a set of keys. That secondary contact of yours relieves so much stress on both you and the auto shipper.

4. How Does A Snowbird Know What Auto Transport Rate To Pay?

Answer: Depending on how much of a hurry the snowbird is in determines the auto shipping cost he should pay. There are many car transport companies who will low ball the auto shipping rate, knowing full well that all the higher priced loads will move first. If you don’t mind waiting weeks or maybe even a month to receive your car in Florida, then okay, book a cheap vehicle shipping rate, but know that you are probably in the back of the line.

Most people want their vehicle in Florida as quick as possible. After all, if the snowbird is only in Florida for 3 months, does he want to waste a month without his car? The more responsible auto transport companies will adhere to the true market rate for shipping a vehicle inside of 7 days from availability. The customer may see a huge disparity in car shipping estimates from numerous brokers. Choose one of the higher rates when shipping to Florida in the winter. It doesn’t have to be the highest, but most certainly don’t bite on the low-ball rates that some are hustling.

Direct Express Auto Transport could book a lot more orders with low-ball rates to Florida, but we prefer to have happy customers whose vehicles ship first and in a timely fashion. Please use our auto transport quotes calculator on this page to see our rates.

5. Should A Snowbird Use The Multiple Quote Forms Found Online?

Answer: It is never a bad idea performing due diligence. However, usually the weaker car shipping companies participate in the multiple quote leads programs. They know they are competing with 9 other brokers, so there is downward pressure on their car shipping rates that is actually a disservice to the customer. They book orders that they know cannot ship in a timely fashion. It’s called bait and switch and they are notorious for it. If you do fill out one of those forms, do not provide your telephone number, as those brokers will call you incessantly. It’s one thing to have your email inbox fill up (move to spam when tired of it) and quite another to have your cell phone bombarded.

Fortunately if you are reading this blog, then you have already found your way to a reliable auto shipping company. So feel confident with Direct Express Auto Transport and use our car shipping rates calculator located on this page. You can even book it online or call us at 800-600-3750.

Auto transport service to New York City is a mixed bag. Our innovative car shipping quotes calculator makes it easier to determine an auto transport rate from anywhere to the Big Apple, but it cannot tell the whole story. We would like our quotes to advise, “Please don’t ship your car from Manhattan.” Ever been to Manhattan? It sure is exciting as there is nothing quite like it. Now imagine an auto transport carrier crawling down Fifth Avenue or 42nd Street competing with taxis for the right lane. Yeah, you get the picture. It is no fun for anyone. So would it kill you to go across the Washington Bridge and meet an auto shipper in New Jersey? That is the smartest thing to do. We highly recommend doing that so that your vehicle shipment can happen much faster, and probably much cheaper if you look to see a car shipping quote online from or to New Jersey.

Shipping a car is also easier to Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, Yonkers or the Bronx than it is from or to Manhattan. The tolls become a bit of an issue because it can drive up the cost of shipping a vehicle, and frankly are a pain in the butt getting through them, but with so many other cars being shipped there it certainly benefits from economy of scale. So it is better to ship a car in the other boroughs than Manhattan. Except if you are transporting a vehicle to the far end of Long Island, such as Sag Harbor. To an auto shipper it feels like driving to England. We know, you can’t drive to England, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t feel like it.

Normally we say you can easily go to our website and get an instant car shipping quote and be done with it. But it might be a good idea to pick up the phone and call Direct Express Auto Transport customer service at 800-600-3750 and speak about a good plan for shipping your car to the New York City boroughs.

There are a lot of things to consider when you plan on transporting your vehicle. If you’re selling your house and planning to move, how you plan on transporting yourself, and any items you have, are a big factor. It’s very important to keep in mind, that most auto shippers generally only allow up to 100 pounds of extra weight confined to your car’s trunk. This can potentially be a frustrating part of your moving plan, where as a lot of people assume that it’s OK to pack their vehicle full of household items. Remember that the auto transporters have to be very careful with how much extra weight is on their truck to avoid being fined by the highway patrol. This is why there is a limit of 100 pounds confined only to the trunk of your vehicle.

Keep in mind, the auto shipper is not responsible for any personal items that you decide to transport with your vehicle. It’s only the vehicle itself that is fully insured during the transport. Considering that, it is advised that if you plan on transporting any items with your vehicle, that they are not valuable or sentimental items. How you transport yourself, your children, and your pets, is up to you and not the auto transporter. It might be a pain at first knowing you can’t pack your house in your car, but it’s best to know the rules and avoid any surprise charges at the end of the car shipment.

There is a lot of information to digest when you decide to transport your vehicle and book an order. It’s important that you gather everything you need to know, and make sure that you’re aware of the entire cost. It is better to confirm when you place the order to transport your vehicle that all fees are included, such as tax, insurance, and any deposit needed, so you are not surprised with any additional charges once your vehicle is delivered. Make sure you confirm all costs with your representative, check out the company’s website, and review the terms and conditions to ensure that you fully understand the auto transport process.

Certainly all of the information is important, but auto transport insurance is one of the most significant factors. Even though damage during auto transport is rare, it is always best to be prepared for an accident of some sort. Any damage claim is the responsibility of the assigned auto transport carrier, and it is always a good idea to confirm that they are in fact insured. If you are unable to be physically present on either pickup or delivery, make sure you have a friend, family member, co-worker, or someone else who can be present on your behalf to inspect your vehicle. This is important because someone must be present to inspect the vehicle in case any damage happened while in transit, because the auto shipper is ultimately responsible. When the vehicle is finally delivered, make sure you note any damage and take pictures as well.